Systems and methods for charging vehicles

RELATED APPLICATIONS

0001The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/796,767, filed, Apr. 30, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/899,328, filed Feb. 2, 2007, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0002The present invention relates to utility networks and, more particularly, to a utility network management system and a method of operating a utility network management system for automated reading of utility meters.

SUMMARY

0003Utilities currently use a customer information system (“CIS”) to keep track of and monitor locations where service can be provided, the utility meter(s) deployed at each location, and the customers billed for service. Among other things, a CIS maintains the business state of customer accounts (e.g., whether service is currently active or not, when a customer will be moving into or out of a location, if the customer's billing account is current, etc.).

0004CIS typically do not communicate directly with meters because most meters deployed today are not connected to a communications network. Instead, a utility's CIS is often integrated with a work order management system (“WOMS”), which identifies service tickets that need to be performed manually by meter reading and maintenance staff. For example, if a customer moves out of a location and the services are turned off, a service ticket is created to dispatch a meter reader to the location to take a physical reading of the meter, so that the customer's final bill can be generated. Utilities generally have business rules in place that are used to decide whether or not to remove the meter from service or otherwise physically disconnect service. When a new customer moves into a location, the process is repeated to activate the service, so that the customer is only billed for the service provided after the activation date.

0005For utilities that have deployed automated meter reading (“AMR”) systems, the utility's CIS loads data into the AMR system indicating which meters should be read. The AMR system can then generate data for the WOMS, which in turn generates routes that meter readers will travel to collect data through a mobile wireless collection system. Alternatively, the AMR system will communicate with a fixed wireless network, should one be deployed, to collect the data. In both cases, meter read data is normally communicated one-way from the meter to the collector. A data validation process can be employed by the utility to verify that the correct type of data is being read from each meter.

0006Conventional utility systems typically leave utilities with a variety of manual processes and/or vulnerabilities. For example, “last reads” must be performed manually when a utility turns off service to a specific location. Such systems are generally unable to identify service theft for meters that are deactivated, or alternatively, a “truck roll” must be ordered to remove the meter to prevent theft. Alternatively or in addition, such systems do not perform an up-front verification to determine whether the meter is configured in a manner consistent with the customer's billing practices. Rather, any discrepancies are discovered only after the meter data has been manually reviewed, at which point weeks or months might have passed and revenue will have been lost. Alternatively or in addition, such systems do not provide any real-time indication that meters that have been deployed in an AMR system are actually being read until the missing data is discovered when the bills are generated. With limited time available to generate the bill, a manual meter read is often required, or alternatively, the bill is estimated, which can lead to customer dissatisfaction due to an overestimated or underestimated bill. Alternatively or in addition, such systems do not provide or provide only limited ability to receive real-time alerts indicating potential tampering with the utility's equipment, which might indicate service theft. Or, if such alerts are indicated, they are often difficult to correlate with expected activities happening in the field by utility personnel (e.g. the alert may result in a false positive).

0007In some embodiments, the utility network management system of the present invention correlates or helps to correlate knowledge maintained in a CIS regarding the state of customer accounts and/or the state of meters at customer locations (i.e., the “Administrative” state) with the state of a meter at a specific location (i.e., the “Operational” state). The utility network management system of the present invention can also or alternatively include a flexible mechanism to drive activities consistent with the utility's business practices when states are changed.

0008The utility network management system of the present invention can include a utility network management center (“utility NMC”) having a state transition mechanism. The state transition mechanism can receive a signal indicating that the status of an account has been changed when an account's service is turned off within a CIS. The state transition mechanism can then note that the meter's administrative state has changed from active to inactive.

0009In some embodiments, the state transition mechanism then triggers an operational state change to inactive. The act of processing that state change can also or alternatively trigger an on-demand read request of the meter through the network. A successful on-demand read can then allow the meter's operational state to transition to inactive. Otherwise, the read attempt can be retried (either directly or via neighboring meters).

0010When the status of a meter is changed to inactive, service can be remotely disconnected (if the meter supports that functionality), or alternatively, the meter can be automatically added to an automated read task that reads inactive meters on a regular basis and looks for usage patterns that are not consistent with inactive service (e.g., usage on a daily basis above a predetermined threshold value). Read tasks are performed less frequently for inactive meters than for active meters.

0011When meters are initially discovered or located by the network and are confirmed to be in operation based upon the administrative state, the meters can be immediately slated or are slated relatively quickly for configuration verification. Data is then retrieved over the network and compared against a billing program or other predetermined and/or expected configuration attributes. If there is a match between what is found versus what was expected, the meter is successfully initialized, and it is then added to an automatic reading schedule. If there is a discrepancy, the discrepancy is noted and can then be resolved through the system's user interface, or alternatively, the discrepancy can be automatically resolved using predetermined business rules, which can be defined by the utility.

0012Because the utility network management system can be aware of the state of the meter and a billing date, the utility network management system can generate reports of unsuccessful reads in advance of a billing deadline. Trends can also be identified to help identify network-level problems that might require deployment (or re-deployment) of networking infrastructure to address the missed reads.

0013Alerts can be transmitted in near-real-time through the communications network. Alerts that are generated for devices in a maintenance state can be filtered automatically, eliminating or reducing false positives. The remaining alerts can then be acted upon promptly and with confidence by the utility.

0014Immediately after or soon after relevant information is received, the utility network management system can provide the appropriate provisioning. In general, conventional systems typically batch changes, resulting in delays that can negatively impact end customers and the utility's bottom line.

0015In some embodiments, the utility network management system of the present invention is designed to handle or accommodate exceptions to the greatest extent possible, minimizing the need for operator intervention. Business rules or protocols can be defined and configured by the utility to implement how exceptions should be programmatically addressed without operator intervention, so that the solution conforms to the utility's existing business practices.

0016The most significant ongoing cost factors in any large-scale AMI or AMR network are human costs associated with system management. The utility network management system of the present invention can provide a method to provision and manage devices that scales not with the number of devices deployed, but instead with the number of business operations the utility performs with the network of devices.

0017The invention provides a system for distributing a commodity through a utility grid. The system includes at least one mobile device and a utility network management center (“NMC”). The at least one mobile device is configured as an electronic utility device and includes a network interface card (“NIC”). The at least one mobile device is also associated with a utility billing account and at least one utility commodity meter. The NMC is configured to communicate with the at least one mobile device and the at least one utility commodity meter over a network, locate the at least one mobile device, and monitor a state of the at least one utility commodity meter. The utility NMC is also configured to determine a usage of the commodity based on the state of the at least one utility commodity meter, and bill the utility billing account associated with the mobile device for the usage of the commodity.

0018The invention also provides a system for distributing a commodity through a utility grid. The system including at least at least one network interface card (“NIC”) and a utility network management center (“NMC”). The NIC is associated with a transportation device. The transportation device is associated with a utility billing account and is capable of receiving the commodity from the utility grid. The NMC is configured to communicate with the at least one NIC over a network, locate the at least one NIC, and monitor a state of the at least one NIC and the transportation device. The NMC is also configured to determine an amount of the commodity provided to the transportation device, and bill the utility billing account associated with the transportation device for the amount of the commodity provided to the transportation device.

0019The invention also provides a method of distributing a commodity through a utility grid. The method includes communicating with at least one transportation device through a utility network, locating the at least one transportation device within the utility network, and distributing an amount of the commodity to the transportation device. The transportation device is associated with a utility billing account. The method also includes monitoring a state of the at least one transportation device, determining the amount of the commodity distributed to the transportation device, and billing the utility billing account associated with the transportation device for the amount of the commodity distributed to the transportation device.

0020The invention also provides a method of distributing a commodity through a utility grid. The method includes communicating with at least one mobile device through a utility network, locating the at least one mobile device within the utility network, and communicating with at least one utility commodity meter through the utility network. The mobile device is associated with a utility billing account. The method also includes monitoring a state of the at least one utility commodity meter and the at least one mobile device, determining a usage of the commodity based on the state of the at least one utility commodity meter, and billing the utility billing account associated with the mobile device for the usage of the commodity.

0021The invention also provides a method of provisioning an electronic utility device associated with distribution pathways of a utility network to operate consistently with the infrastructure guidelines of the utility network and distributing a commodity through a utility grid. The method includes receiving information from the electronic utility device that includes the capabilities of the electronic utility device, identifying a configuration state for the electronic utility device from the received information, and determining whether to configure the electronic utility device based upon the identified configuration state. The received information specifies the configuration state of the electronic utility device.

0022Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0023<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref> is a schematic illustration of the utility network management system according to some embodiments of the present invention.

0024<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>2</b></figref> is a schematic illustration of the utility network management system show in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref>, showing communication between a utility network management center, a customer information system, and a utility grid.

0025<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>3</b>-<b>9</b></figref> are schematic illustrations of methods of meter provisioning according to the present invention.

0026<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>10</b></figref> is table including operational and administrative state data for electronic utility devices and other network infrastructure devices of a utility network management system according to some embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

0027Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

0028As should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the systems and networks shown in the figures are models of what actual systems or networks might be like. As noted, many of the modules and logic structures described are capable of being implemented in software executed by a microprocessor or a similar device or of being implemented in hardware using a variety of components including, for example, application specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”). Terms like “processor” may include or refer to both hardware and/or software. Furthermore, throughout the specification capitalized terms are used. Such terms are used to conform to common practices and to help correlate the description with the coding examples, equations, and/or drawings. However, no specific meaning is implied or should be inferred simply due to the use of capitalization. Thus, the invention is not limited to the specific examples or terminology or to any specific hardware or software implementation or combination of software or hardware.

0029<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>1</b>-<b>10</b></figref> illustrate a utility network management system <b>10</b> used for efficient, automated, and/or cost-effective provisioning of a number of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> (e.g., utility meters attached to or operating with electrical, gas, water, or other utility grid infrastructure for recording and/or monitoring consumption, in-premise devices, mobile devices, transportation devices (e.g., rechargeable vehicles), etc.) and network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> (e.g., nodes, gateway nodes, transmitters, receivers, and/or other devices deployed in the field and located along product distribution pathways of a utility grid or utility network <b>16</b> for the purpose of establishing a communication network between a utility's back office and one or more electronic utility devices <b>12</b> installed in a service area) in the utility grid <b>16</b>. The utility network management system <b>10</b> includes an end-to-end system and/or components and information flow architecture used to manage a network of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> within an AMR network.

0030A gateway is a device or a network node that performs the function of communicating with a utility network management center <b>20</b> (“utility NMC”) and a device management system <b>42</b> (“DSM”) over a wide area network (“WAN”). The gateway can be connected to utility devices <b>12</b> over a local area network (“LAN”). In some cases, the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> communicate with the gateway via relays or repeaters. As used herein the terms “access point” and “gateway” are used interchangeably.

0031The electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can include a network interface card (“NIC”) that enables the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> to maintain two-way communications with the NMC <b>20</b> via relays and/or gateways. Gateways can execute schedules, collect read data over a network, and/or forward the read data to a utility network management center <b>20</b> (“utility NMC”) (described in more detail below). Gateways can also function as agents of the utility NMC <b>20</b> and can perform network management functions such as route calculation and reachability pings or queries. Relays can be used to extend the reach of a network. In some embodiments, relays are located at high elevations for best line-of-sight to electronic utility devices <b>12</b>. Several electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can be associated with a single relay and several relays can be associated with a gateway. In some embodiments, electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can also or alternatively perform some or all of the functions of a relay.

0032Routes can be network discovered, static, or temporary. A network-discovered route is determined according to a set of rules prescribed by the routing algorithm utilized by a LAN, when a new electronic utility device <b>12</b> is set or initialized and the route broadcasts a discovery message across the network <b>28</b>. A static route is a user-defined route saved and used for subsequent communications. A user-defined static route can override other network-discovered routes. When performing an on-demand ping, a user can specify a one-time route to a destination that is not saved or reused.

0033As used herein, the term “provisioning” refers to, among other things, a process of discovering or locating electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>, validating those electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> on a utility grid infrastructure, configuring each electronic utility device <b>12</b> or other network infrastructure device <b>14</b> so that it will operate consistently with the utility's infrastructure guidelines, and adding each electronic utility device <b>12</b> or other network infrastructure device <b>14</b> to an appropriate set of schedule-based tasks such that the electronic utility device <b>12</b> or other network infrastructure device <b>14</b> can fulfill its role within the utility grid <b>16</b> (e.g. so that electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can be read and/or can operate within a network). As used herein, the term “flow-through provisioning” refers to or includes, among other things, a process for allowing utilities to manage large numbers of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> or groups of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> in the utility grid <b>16</b>. As used herein, the term “flow-through provisioning” can also or alternatively refer to a process for allowing utilities to programmatically manage, without operator intervention, large numbers of network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> or groups of network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> in the utility grid <b>16</b>.

0034As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>1</b> and <b>2</b></figref>, the utility network management system <b>10</b> of the present invention can include a utility network management center (“utility NMC”) <b>20</b> that interfaces with one or more of the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> and/or one or more of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> in the utility grid <b>16</b>. The utility NMC <b>20</b> can perform remote automated meter reading, consumption data gathering and analysis, outage and service restoration management support, and/or other communication functions. The utility NMC <b>20</b> can also provide two-way communications between electronic utility devices <b>12</b> in remote locations (e.g., customer locations) and a customer information system (“CIS”) <b>22</b> and can perform flow-through provisioning for some or all of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or the networked infrastructure devices <b>14</b> in the utility grid <b>16</b>. In some embodiments, the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can also be in-premise devices connected to home appliances and utilities, which have two-way communications with the utility NMC <b>20</b> via a gateway either directly or via a number or electronic utility devices <b>12</b> that are situated outside the premises. In some such embodiments, the in-premise devices are part of a separate utility network.

0035As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>1</b> and <b>2</b></figref>, the utility NMC <b>20</b> and the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can communicate across network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> (e.g., relay stations <b>24</b> and gateways <b>26</b>) and over a network <b>28</b> (e.g., a wide area network (“WAN”)). In other embodiments, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can communicate directly with one or more electronic utility devices <b>12</b> using other dispersed public or private telecommunications networks and/or local area networks (“LAN”). In still other embodiments, the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>, the utility NMC <b>20</b>, and/or the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> include frequency-hopping spread spectrum communication protocol capability, broadband communication capability, IPv4 communication capability, and/or IPv6 communication capability.

0036As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>1</b> and <b>2</b></figref>, the utility NMC <b>20</b> includes a back office device management module <b>29</b>, which can be operable to perform one or more control and monitoring functions for the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>, the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>, and/or the utility grid <b>16</b>, and a support module <b>30</b>, which can also or alternatively perform one or more control and monitoring functions for the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>, the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>, and/or the utility grid <b>16</b>. In some embodiments, the back office device management module <b>29</b> can be a pre-existing system and the support module <b>30</b> can be later added to provide additional control and monitoring functions. In some such embodiments, the support module <b>30</b> can perform some or all of the functions described below. In other embodiments, the NMC <b>20</b> includes a single back office management system, which is operable to perform substantially all control and monitoring functions for the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>, the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>, and/or the utility grid <b>16</b>. Also, while reference is made herein to a back office system, the NMC <b>20</b> and the individual elements of the NMC <b>20</b> (e.g., the back office device management module <b>29</b> and the support module <b>30</b>) can have a number of different locations, can be distributed between multiple locations, or can be stored in a single combined location.

0037During operation of the utility network management system <b>10</b>, administrative state, meter location, and/or other data are uploaded to the NMC <b>20</b> from the CIS <b>22</b> using a simple object access protocol (“SOAP”), which sends extensible markup language-formatted (“XML-formatted”) requests to a server using hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”) and receives the response back in XML-format. Because HTTP is a standard and accepted protocol for communication on the Internet and most web servers recognize and respond to HTTP requests, one or more elements of the utility network management system <b>10</b> can be integrated relatively easily. In addition, XML is a set of software that enables a user to tag or structure an electronic file so that it can be easily exchanged between various systems. Therefore, the use of XML to send and/or receive messages enables any system on any platform to read and process the messages, unlike proprietary formats. In other embodiments, the utility network management system <b>10</b> or elements of the utility network management system <b>10</b> can also or alternatively send or receive messages having other formats, which can be proprietary or non-proprietary.

0038During operation of the utility network management system <b>10</b>, each electronic utility device <b>12</b> in the utility grid <b>16</b> is assigned an administrative state, which specifies the business-oriented state of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> (e.g., whether utility services are being supplied to the location associated with the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, the account status associated with the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, etc.), and an operational state, which specifies the current mode of operation of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> (e.g., whether the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is operational). In some embodiments, one or more of the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> is also or alternatively assigned an administrative state, which specifies the business-oriented state of the network infrastructure device(s) <b>14</b> and an operational state, which specifies the current mode of operation of the network infrastructure device(s) <b>14</b>. In some embodiments, the utility network management system <b>10</b> can have two separate administrative states with one administrative state for the network and the other administrative state for the account status.

0039As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>2</b></figref>, the NMC <b>20</b> can include a device state manager <b>30</b>, which manages, maintains, and drives the operational state of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> and/or a network infrastructure device <b>14</b> through changes to the administrative state and/or other external inputs. The device state manager <b>30</b> can include a device data module <b>32</b> (“DDM”), a finite state machine <b>34</b> (“FSM”), a device state queue <b>38</b> (“DSQ”), and a device state monitor <b>42</b> (“DSM”).

0040The device state manager <b>30</b> and the functions performed by the device state manager <b>30</b> can be included in the back office management device management module <b>29</b> and/or the support module <b>30</b>. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the back office device management module <b>29</b> and the support module <b>30</b> can each include one or all of the DDM <b>32</b>, FSM <b>34</b>, DSQ <b>38</b>, and DSM <b>42</b>.

0041The DDM <b>32</b> is a database schema that maintains attributes of some or all of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> on the utility grid <b>16</b>, such as, for example, administrative and operational states, whether the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> have been initialized, status as an element of the communication network <b>28</b>, physical location, and other operational attributes. The DDM <b>32</b> can also or alternatively maintain attributes of some or all of the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>.

0042The FSM <b>34</b> is a business logic program that manages the transition between operational states for a single electronic utility device <b>12</b> or a single network infrastructure device <b>14</b> in a manner that is consistent with a specified administrative state. The DSQ <b>38</b> is a persistent queue of records with each record defining a state transition for a single electronic utility device <b>12</b> or a single network infrastructure device <b>14</b>.

0043In some embodiments, the utility network management system <b>10</b> can include an integrated network-centered system and a finite state machine FSM <b>34</b> that can manage the transition of any device in the utility grid <b>16</b> between operational states that are consistent with the specified administrative state, as well as provide instant or near-instant visibility into both states of each device.

0044The DSM <b>42</b> is a software module that processes DSQ <b>38</b> records and implements the business functionality required when an electronic utility device <b>12</b> undergoes any operational state change and/or when a network infrastructure device <b>14</b> undergoes any operational state change. Together, the DDM <b>32</b>, FSM <b>34</b>, DSQ <b>38</b>, and DSM <b>42</b> perform a device state management function for some or all of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> on the utility grid <b>16</b> and/or some or all of the network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> on the utility grid <b>16</b>.

0045Device attributes, stored in the DDM <b>32</b>, are updated via SOAP-based application program interfaces (“APIs”) (e.g., routines, protocols, and/or tools for building or maintaining software applications) or directly through a user interface. As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>3</b></figref>, the administrative state of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> or a group of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can be updated using an API interface and/or a user interface. Historical and exception-type information is also maintained in the DDM <b>32</b> and is made available to operators and other elements of the utility network management system <b>10</b> through the API and user interfaces.

0046In some embodiments, an operator and other components or elements of the utility management system <b>10</b> (e.g., an outage management system) can access the inner workings of the DSM set of components through APIs and the user interface. The operator can also or alternatively access the current states and/or historical transitions that have transpired. Events are also generated by the DSM <b>42</b> when exceptions occur during the state transition process, so that an operator can understand what happened within the utility grid <b>16</b>.

0047As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>3</b></figref>, changes to the attributes of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> or a network infrastructure device <b>14</b> will trigger the FSM <b>34</b> and cause the FSM <b>34</b> to determine whether a state change is warranted. If a state change is warranted, a record is added to the DSQ <b>38</b> for asynchronous processing by the DSM <b>42</b>. The DSM <b>42</b> retrieves each record from the DSQ <b>38</b> and processes it according to business rules that are either hard-coded into the utility NMC <b>20</b>, driven by the capabilities of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> or network infrastructure device <b>14</b> being referenced, or specified by the utility.

0048The asynchronous nature of the DSM <b>42</b> allows the utility NMC <b>20</b> to scale, as at any point in time there can be a deluge of device attribute changes that will cause the FSM <b>34</b> to make changes. If processing were done in a synchronous manner, the entire utility grid <b>16</b> or a substantial portion of the utility grid <b>16</b> could be brought to a halt while performing the work required for each state transition, many of which require round-trip messages to be exchanged between two or more elements of the utility grid <b>16</b>. Instead, the DSM <b>42</b> works in the background, processing changes as quickly as possible, but higher priority work can flow through the system in parallel. Further, in some embodiments, the process can be interrupted and resumed with serial time- and task-completion stamps.

0049In some embodiments, the utility network management system <b>10</b> can include two or more DSMs <b>42</b> to ensure that the utility network management system <b>10</b> will continue to function if one DSM <b>42</b> fails. This deployment topology is facilitated by the very nature of the DSQ <b>38</b>, which persists in the database. Records can be retrieved from the DSQ <b>38</b> in batches and processed by a single DSM <b>42</b>. As the records are retrieved from the DSQ <b>38</b>, the record can be updated with a timestamp to reflect that work is in progress. Additional DSM <b>42</b> processes can retrieve records from the DSQ <b>38</b> and process those records in parallel or at the same time.

0050In embodiments of the utility network management system <b>10</b> having multiple DSMs <b>42</b>, the DSQ <b>38</b> can include a timeout mechanism that will make records available again to an alternate DSM <b>42</b> if the records are not marked as completed within a configurable timeframe (i.e., if the DSM <b>42</b> assigned to a project fails). In this manner, all items within the DSQ <b>38</b> are made available for processing as long as a single DSM <b>42</b> remains functioning. Embodiments of the utility network management system <b>10</b> having multiple DSMs <b>42</b> can be highly available (i.e., such systems can continue to function when one or more components fail).

0051During operation and as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>2</b> and <b>3</b></figref>, the finite state machine (“FSM”) <b>34</b> of the utility NMC <b>20</b> can use uploaded data to identify a new operational state of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> or a network infrastructure device <b>14</b>, if any, based on the new administrative state. Alternatively or in addition, the FSM <b>34</b> can add a record onto the DSQ <b>38</b> for asynchronous processing, to take action on the new operational state.

0052As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>4</b></figref>, if an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is added to the utility network management system <b>10</b> or if the NMC <b>10</b> receives data indicative of a previously unrecognized electronic utility device <b>12</b> (e.g., if the utility grid <b>16</b> is expanded to include a new electronic utility device <b>12</b>), a signal is sent to the DSQ <b>38</b> indicating that the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is ready to be initialized. Alternatively or in addition, if a network infrastructure device <b>14</b> is added to the utility network management system <b>10</b> or the utility management system <b>10</b> receives data indicative of a previously unrecognized network infrastructure device <b>14</b>, a signal is sent to the DSQ <b>38</b> indicating that the network infrastructure device <b>14</b> is ready to be initialized.

0053The device state monitor (“DSM”) <b>42</b> of the utility NMC <b>20</b> can then retrieve data from the DSQ <b>38</b> and initialize the electronic utility device <b>12</b> or the network infrastructure device <b>14</b>. During initialization, the DSM <b>42</b> can perform a configuration of a network interface card (“NIC”) embedded in the electronic utility device <b>12</b> to upload settings appropriate for or specific to the network <b>28</b> (e.g. communication channels and/or timing settings). In some embodiments, NICs can be secured (via public or private keys) or connected to one or more electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and can provide two way communication between the electronic utility device(s) <b>12</b> and network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>. The DSM <b>42</b> can then send a request to a gateway <b>26</b> to read the electronic utility device's <b>12</b> program data.

0054As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>4</b></figref>, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can compare newly uploaded program data to expected program data for the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. In some embodiments, the expected program data can be driven by or can be a function of the service plan a customer has selected for the specific location. Alternatively or in addition, the expected program data can be driven by a function of expected consumption values based, at least in part, on prior use values for a specific location and/or based, at least in part, on expected consumption values for a particular time of year. If the uploaded program data corresponds to or matches the expected program data for the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is marked as having been successfully initialized. The FSM <b>34</b> can then assign a new operational state (i.e., active) to the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. In this manner, subsequent meter reads will identify the newly activated electronic utility device <b>12</b>, transmit data to the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, receive data from the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, and/or perform recurring activities to maintain the electronic utility device <b>12</b> within the utility grid <b>16</b>. In some embodiments, the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> are addressed according to device type, device relative priority, device dependency (upstream and/or downstream), device cost, device relationship/association, device usage of a commodity, device maintenance cost, device ownership, device proximity, device location, etc.

0055Following initialization or at the same time, meter program data can be asynchronously uploaded from the utility NMC <b>20</b>. In some embodiments, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can configure each device upon the device's initial discovery and/or provide mechanisms for updating configuration data over time.

0056Some or all electronic utility devices <b>12</b> or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> added to the utility grid <b>16</b> require an initial verification and authentication to ensure that they are indeed part of the utility grid <b>16</b> and are configured in a manner consistent with the guidelines for operating the utility grid <b>16</b>. If variances are discovered, reconfiguration of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> or network infrastructure device <b>14</b> is required, and the utility NMC <b>20</b> will be made aware of the variances and corrective actions are specified and implemented. A “meter program” is a collection of configuration options that specify what data an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is recording, the frequency with which it is recording the data, and the restriction rules the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is required to follow. The system described herein provides for managing both the network-level configurations required of some or all of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> added to the utility grid <b>16</b>, and the set of meter programs configured onto at least some of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>.

0057Automated management of the configuration of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> within the utility grid <b>16</b> is critical to making the entire provisioning process work. Indeed, the key aspects of provisioning are to configure electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> upon the initial discovery of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> and to provide mechanisms for updating that configuration over time.

0058In some embodiments, the NMC utility <b>20</b> can maintain three or more distinct fundamental types of configuration data for each of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>. For example, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can maintain network configurations related to the NIC embedded in each electronic utility device <b>12</b>. The utility NMC <b>20</b> can also or alternatively maintain device-specific configurations (“meter programs”) related to the electronic utility device <b>12</b> in which the NIC is embedded. The device-specific configuration data can be stored in the internal hardware of the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. Alternatively, the device-specific configuration data can be stored in the NIC of the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. In some embodiments, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can also or alternatively maintain network configurations for on-location devices connected to or operable with electronic utility devices <b>12</b>. Such devices, including smart thermostats, smart pool pumps, and smart HVAC systems, allow the utility to address peak load situations by sending information to the device such that it can then act to adjust the load.

0059As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>5</b></figref>, for the network configuration portion of the process, attributes are downloaded to the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> based upon the meter type. If the meter type is not known at initialization or relatively soon after initialization, the NMC <b>20</b> queries the electronic utility device <b>12</b> for its type and capabilities. After determining the type and capability of the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, the utility NMC <b>20</b> uploads the appropriate configuration data onto the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. The process is deemed complete when the configuration data is verified either by retrieving the attributes that were configured or by performing one or more tests on the electronic utility device <b>12</b>.

0060If the configuration data is not verified, the utility NMC <b>20</b> sends a status message to the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. In some embodiments, a software update or configuration change can be included with the status message. If the integrity of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is not verified in response to the status message, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can initiate an alert.

0061In some embodiments, the billing of a commodity, rent, usage, etc., that is to be associated with an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is recorded based on device type, meter type, meter capabilities, meter program, device relative priority, device dependency (upstream and/or downstream), device cost, device relationship/association, device usage of a commodity, device maintenance cost, device ownership, device proximity, device location, etc., will determine or be used by the utility NMC <b>20</b> to determine which customer data is recorded and the frequency with which customer data is recorded. For example, if a customer has subscribed to a Time-of-Use (“TOU”) billing program where the customer pays less for utility service during off-peak hours but more for usage during peak hours, the electronic utility device <b>12</b> can be configured to record data in the correct TOU buckets, or alternatively, the electronic utility device <b>12</b> can be configured to record usage data with a frequency that meets or exceeds the requirements of the TOU buckets.

0062In some embodiments, an electronic utility device <b>12</b> can be associated with another device, customer, person, entity, account, etc. based upon the observed changes in a metered commodity. For example, the utility NMC <b>20</b> may be able to determine which customer is to be billed for the electrical usage of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> based upon a control signal which changes the electrical usage of the device, and monitoring to determine which customers' premise sees a change in their electrical usage during the application of the control signal. In some embodiments, electronic utility devices <b>12</b> may receive control messages that are configured to prevent the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> from being used or changed during the application of the control signal to prevent the expected change use from the application of the control signal from being masked by normal use. For example, electronic utility devices <b>12</b> may be told to not shut off, not start, or remain in a preferred state of operation (e.g., the device's previous state, a new state, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, electronic utility devices <b>12</b> may be excluded from receiving the control signal or the application of the control signal may be postponed depending upon the operation (e.g., observed operation, scheduled operation, etc.) of one or more devices associated with the tested electronic utility device <b>12</b>. For example, the application of the control signal may be postponed depending upon the importance of the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, the dependence of other devices on the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, the dependence of the electronic utility device on other devices, the attributes of the devices that depend on the electronic utility device, etc.

0063In some embodiments, a billing rule is applied to an electronic utility device <b>12</b> (e.g., a mobile device, a rechargeable vehicle, etc.) according to device type, meter type, meter capabilities, meter program, device relative priority, device dependency (upstream and/or downstream), device cost, device relationship/association, device usage of a commodity, device maintenance cost, device ownership, device proximity, device location, etc. The billing rule may group utility devices <b>12</b> or may associate billing of the utility device <b>12</b> with a person, entity, account, etc. For example, a rechargeable vehicle or mobile device that is connected to the utility NMC <b>20</b> can have an associated billing rule that charges a customer or account with the metered recharging, even if the rechargeable vehicle or mobile device is connected to a section of the utility grid that is associated with another customer or account for billing purposes.

0064The attributes of a meter program can be relatively large (multiple kilobytes), so it can be efficient not to transport those attributes throughout the network <b>28</b> each time a electronic utility device <b>12</b> or network infrastructure device <b>14</b> is added to the utility grid <b>16</b> but to instead create an identifier that can be communicated throughout the network <b>28</b>. Network management software stored on the NIC can include a hashing algorithm for efficiently referencing a meter program, and this hash key or algorithm can be returned to the utility NMC <b>20</b> when the meter program is queried. In some embodiments, the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> can include two hash keys with one of the keys being used to reference data being recorded by the electronic utility device <b>12</b> (e.g., channels and units of measure, scale factors, etc.) and with the other hash key being used to reference the calendar that drives the collection of data by the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. If the hash key is known to or recognized by the utility NMC <b>20</b>, the utility NMC <b>20</b> will verify that the meter program matches what was configured to be on the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, and if so, the meter program verification process is complete.

0065After an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is classified as “active” and/or after an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is initialized, the NMC <b>20</b> calculates a program seal and assigns the program seal to the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. Thereafter, the program seal is verified when subsequent read requests are received by the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. In some embodiments, the program seal can be a series of hexadecimal integers that is orders of magnitude smaller than the meter program data itself and does not change unless the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is reprogrammed. In these embodiments, the program seal is guaranteed to change if any aspect of the meter program that impacts data integrity or content is altered. This program seal is checked each time the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is accessed. If the program seal for a specific electronic utility device <b>12</b> is changed, any data read from the electronic utility device <b>12</b> since the change is discarded, and the electronic utility device <b>12</b> reenters the initialization process.

0066If, during read requests, a recognized program seal is received, the electronic utility device <b>12</b> returns requested data. If a recognized program seal is not received, the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is assumed to have been reprogrammed and the FSM <b>34</b> can activate the initialization process and/or can add an appropriate record to the DSQ <b>38</b>. If an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is reprogrammed by the utility, either through the utility NMC <b>20</b> or out of band with respect to the utility NMC <b>20</b> and the AMR network, the utility network management system <b>10</b> will detect the change. Alternatively or in addition, if a recognized program seal is not received, the NMC <b>20</b> can initiate an alert and/or alter any billing rules associated with the electronic utility device <b>12</b>.

0067The utility NMC <b>20</b> can provide an administrative interface to allow an operator to review the program, verify that it is valid, configure how data read by the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> using the program should be displayed to the operator, and provide an operator-visible name and description to the program prior to marking the meter program as approved. Subsequently, electronic utility devices <b>12</b> discovered with that program can flow through the normal initialization process without any manual intervention unless a mismatch or other error occurs.

0068If there is a mismatch between the program seal found on the electronic utility device <b>12</b> and the configuration expected by the utility NMC <b>20</b>, another administrative screen is provided to allow such mismatches to be reviewed and resolved by an operator. Resolution can be as simple as updating the expected value in the utility NMC <b>20</b> to reflect what is actually on the electronic utility device <b>12</b>, or it may involve reprogramming the electronic utility device <b>12</b> either over the network <b>28</b>, or through an out-of-band process. In some embodiments, the NMC <b>20</b> can be operable to provide a software update to an electronic utility device <b>12</b> having an unexpected or incorrect program seal. In some such embodiments, the software update can include read software. In addition, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can be operable to record and/or store data associated with the verification and/or integrity of the program seals and readings of the program seals.

0069The utility management system <b>10</b> can ensure that a utility will not inadvertently deploy electronic utility devices <b>12</b> that are configured inappropriately and/or will not continue to have meters <b>12</b> deployed that are not properly configured. With these and other features and/or with the program seal functionality described below, the utility management system <b>10</b> can ensure the data expected to be recorded by each electronic utility device <b>12</b> is actually what is being recorded, eliminating the potential for fraud or errors that reduce revenue and create administrative havoc.

0070A program seal technique can be used to create a unique hexadecimal seal that clearly identifies and guarantees the type of operational functions (programs) loaded on to the electronic utility devices <b>12</b>. The program seal can be verified each time the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is accessed for reading. In some such embodiments, the program seal can be changed each time the program is changed by the utility NMC <b>20</b>. This technique assures the integrity of the data that the utility receives from each electronic utility device <b>12</b>.

0071In addition to handling the initial configuration of electronic utility devices <b>12</b>, there is the challenge of making changes to the configurations across all or a group of meters <b>12</b> managed by the utility. This capability is supported in utility NMC <b>20</b> through the functionality described above combined with the ability to modify the desired configuration for one or a set of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> (as defined by one or more device groups, described below). When a new configuration is identified, the configuration process is re-executed across all affected electronic utility devices <b>12</b>, and exception-based status is provided for electronic utility devices <b>12</b> still undergoing re-configuration or where the re-configuration operation has failed.

0072As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. <b>2</b> and <b>6</b></figref>, the utility network management system <b>10</b> can also include an NMC group manager <b>50</b>, which can periodically (e.g., at regular or irregular predetermined intervals) recalculate and/or verify the membership status of one or more dynamic groups and/or one or more static groups within the utility grid <b>16</b>, and, if differences are noted, the NMC group manager <b>50</b> can update some or all of the job entries that reference a specific dynamic group or a specific static group for determining the membership on that job entry. As used herein, the term “dynamic group” refers to a group of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> whose configuration and/or administrative or operational state can change randomly. As used herein, the term “static group” refers to a group of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> whose configuration and/or administrative or operational state remains constant over time. Job entries are used for determining meter read schedules (i.e., a listing of which electronic utility devices <b>12</b> are to be read, where the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> are located, a start time, and/or an optional end time or end date when the schedule executes), automatic reachability polling, data exports, and scheduling other recurring activities for the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or the other network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> of the utility grid <b>16</b>.

0073Device groups are used to opaquely identify a set of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>. By “opaque”, it is meant that the entity that accesses a group is not pre-programmed to include a specific set of members of the group nor even the number of members. Device groups are unlimited in size and can also be nested. A static group of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> is a predetermined group or set of two or more specifically enumerated and pre-selected electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>. Such static groups can be established based on type of device, geographic groupings of devices, and/or other common functionalities and these static groups are pre-established and pre-programmed into the NMC group manager <b>50</b>.

0074As mentioned above, the NMC group manager <b>50</b> is also or alternatively operable to recalculate and/or verify the membership status of one or more dynamic groups. Dynamic groups of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> are based on specific attributes of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> of the utility grid <b>16</b> (e.g., the type of device, the expected operational life of the device <b>14</b>, etc.). As electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> are added to the utility grid <b>16</b>, or attributes of existing electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> are modified, the NMC group manager <b>50</b> can automatically or periodically update the membership for each dynamic group, and all functions that reference the dynamic groups can also or alternatively be updated.

0075In some embodiments, each member of a static group is specifically enumerated and preloaded onto the NMC group manager <b>50</b>. This approach is valuable when manually selecting devices that should be operated together as a group. As mentioned above, the NMC group manager <b>50</b> can also or alternatively update some or all of the job entries that reference a specific dynamic group. This is particularly advantageous because this approach is scalable and is operable without operator input or with only minimal operator input. For example, in some embodiments, the NMC group manager <b>50</b> can update lists of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> to be read or exported. This is particularly advantageous for utility grids <b>16</b> having hundreds or thousands of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or other network infrastructure devices <b>14</b> which are updated each day. For example, a utility with 1 million meters deployed that has 10% of its customer base moving annually will experience 100,000 service deactivations and reactivations annually, which correspond to 800 meter changes each business day.

0076Specifically, read schedules can be updated and redeployed to reflect new or removed members, and export jobs will use the latest membership when they next execute. Granularity of this update frequency can be made large or small depending upon the business and operational requirements of the utility company. The benefit to the utility can be enormous. The utility company can simply define the business operations that they want to perform on each logical group, define the attributes of each group, and then let the system run. As new business needs are identified, new dynamic groups can be created, or outdated ones can be retired, all with minimal operator input.

0077The utility network management system <b>10</b> can include a reliable and rapid network-based system for remote configuration and reconfiguration of electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>, along with the features to dynamically load and change programs that set the type, frequency, etc. of data collected, stored, and/or reported by the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> and/or network infrastructure devices <b>14</b>.

0078The utility network management system <b>10</b> can include a dynamic technique of grouping a large family of devices into “dynamic groups” based on their functionalities, types of programs resident in the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> at any point in time, and other utility-defined attributes, and methods for constantly updating the groups to reflect the latest status of each device in the utility grid <b>16</b>.

0079Dynamic groups can also be nested to provide the utility with the ability to address unique groups of devices for some functions, while at other times the ability to perform an action on the aggregate set of groups without having to maintain knowledge within the aggregate action of all of the distinct groups. For example, the following is a sample device group ontology according to the present invention.

0080<tables id="TABLE-US-00001" num="00001"><table frame="none" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="2"><colspec colname="1" colwidth="21pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="196pt" align="left" /><thead><row><entry namest="1" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></thead><tbody valign="top"><row><entry>1.</entry><entry>Active Network Devices</entry></row></tbody></tgroup><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="3"><colspec colname="offset" colwidth="21pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="1" colwidth="14pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="182pt" align="left" /><tbody valign="top"><row><entry /><entry>a.</entry><entry>Active Gateways</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>b.</entry><entry>Active Relays</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>c.</entry><entry>Active Electronic Utility Devices</entry></row></tbody></tgroup><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="3"><colspec colname="offset" colwidth="35pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="1" colwidth="21pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="161pt" align="left" /><tbody valign="top"><row><entry /><entry>i.</entry><entry>Active Commercial &amp; Industrial meters</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>ii.</entry><entry>Active Residential meters</entry></row></tbody></tgroup><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="3"><colspec colname="offset" colwidth="56pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="1" colwidth="14pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="147pt" align="left" /><tbody valign="top"><row><entry /><entry>1.</entry><entry>Active Flat-Rate Electronic Utility Devices</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>2.</entry><entry>Active Time-of-Use Electronic Utility Devices</entry></row><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0081A utility may need to perform one or more of the following discrete actions on one or more of these groups: weekly security report that analyzes events generate by all active network devices (1), daily data export for data collected from active meters (1.b), during business hours, hourly data export from active commercial and industrial meters (1.c.i), and re-configure active Time-of-Use Meters (1.a.i.2) to reflect new rate structure effective on a specific date (e.g., June 1).

0082As shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>7</b></figref>, when a customer account is closed (e.g., because the customer has moved or changed utility service providers), the CIS <b>22</b> sends a signal to the utility NMC <b>20</b> indicating that the account has been closed and changing the administrate state of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> to inactive. The CIS <b>22</b> can also or alternatively transmit a signal to the FSM <b>34</b> changing the operational state of the electronic utility device <b>12</b> to inactive. In some embodiments, the CIS <b>22</b> also adds a record to the DSQ <b>38</b> to indicate that appropriate action must be taken as a result of this state change. Alternatively or in addition, the FSM <b>34</b> can add a record to the DSQ <b>38</b> to indicate that appropriate action must be taken as a result of this state change.

0083The DSM <b>42</b> can retrieve the data associated with the electronic utility device <b>12</b> from the DSQ <b>38</b> and performs one or more actions associated with the newly-changed state of the electronic utility device <b>12</b>. For example, the DSM <b>42</b> can perform an on-demand read for a meter that has been redesignated from active to inactive, indicating that service has been turned off. The DSM <b>42</b> can also or alternatively send a signal to remotely disconnect one or more electronic utility devices <b>12</b>.

0084In some embodiments, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can be operable to perform automated membership updates for some or all of the electronic utility devices <b>12</b> in the utility grid <b>16</b>. In these embodiments, when the administrative state of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is changed from active to inactive, the utility NMC <b>20</b> can remove that electronic utility device <b>12</b> from an “active meter read” schedule, and can add that electronic utility device <b>12</b> to an “inactive meter read” schedule, which can be run less frequently in order to reduce the burden on the network <b>28</b>. In some embodiments, when the administrative state of an electronic utility device <b>12</b> is changed from active to inactive, the electronic utility device <b>12</b> is also added to a periodic (e.g., daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.) security report, which is established to locate abnormal usage patterns indicative of theft or system failure.

0085The embodiments presented herein combine sub-systems and functionality to illustrate the presently preferred embodiments. Alternative embodiments may include fewer sub-systems, processes, or functional aspects, or may be used with other sub-systems, processes, or functional aspects depending upon the desired implementation. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.